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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28431282">Come Home With Me</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/harrisonbored/pseuds/harrisonbored'>harrisonbored</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, The Mandalorian (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, M/M, Requited Unrequited Love, Semi Slow Burn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 20:00:36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,417</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28431282</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/harrisonbored/pseuds/harrisonbored</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“The ways of the old order are different from the way I’m choosing to rebuild.” Luke paused. Grogu was standing at his feet now, looking up at him. Luke looked back down and smiled fondly at him.</p><p>“You could come with us, if you wish,” Luke said. “I’m not interested in separating families. Not anymore.”</p><p>(Did y’all really think that I wasn’t going to give Luke a Mandalorian himbo husband?)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Din Djarin/Luke Skywalker, Han Solo &amp; Din Djarin, Leia Organa/Han Solo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1109</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Come Home With Me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>im a simple person, i see luke skywalker interact with a man, i immediately decide they’re in love.</p><p>fudged the canon timeline a bit here, i’m pretty sure ben solo is a toddler/small child during the series, but i want original trilogy content that has fuck all to do with him, so he’s not born yet (and probably never will be). plus kings filoni and favreau have basically all but said “fuck sequel trilogy rights” so....</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Din stared as the kid, <i>his kid,</i> walked away from him and towards the Jedi that stood in the doorway.</p><p>“What is your name?” Din choked out, looking to the man.</p><p>“Luke Skywalker,” he replied. </p><p>Luke looked down to Grogu, then back up at Din.</p><p>“You have a deep connection, in the Force,” Luke commented. “I can feel it.”</p><p>“Ahsoka Tano told me that she couldn’t train him. Because of the connection.”</p><p>“The ways of the old order are different from the way I’m choosing to rebuild.” Luke paused. Grogu was standing at his feet now, looking up at him. Luke looked back down and smiled fondly at him.</p><p>“You could come with us, if you wish,” Luke said. “I’m not interested in separating families. Not anymore.”</p><p>Din looked back to the crowd behind him.</p><p>“We’ve got Gideon taken care of,” Cara Dune said, nudging his unconscious body for good measure. “Go with him.”</p><p>“But what about—“</p><p>“The darksaber can wait,” Bo-Katan said through grit teeth. “Not too long, though.”</p><p>“You can kick my ass another time,” Din said.</p><p>“Thank you for your help. All of you,” Din added, looking over the room. Everyone nodded. </p><p>“Go,” Cara insisted. “We’ll tell the others what’s happened.”</p><p>Din awkwardly stumbled forward, slipping his helmet back on in the process. He was unsure why, this was the second time he’d broken the creed, and this time, everyone who saw wasn’t dead (literally or metaphorically.) Somehow, he didn’t really seem to care. </p><p>He stepped into the elevator with Luke, the child, and the droid. The doors closed, leaving them in uncomfortable silence. </p><p>“You never told me your name,” Luke said, so quietly Din almost didn’t hear him.</p><p>He paused and thought for a moment. He almost never gave out his true name. But Luke had seen his face before he had even learned his name, so he made the decision:</p><p>“Din. Din Djarin. Everyone calls me ‘Mando,’ though, and I’d prefer if you didn’t spread my name around to anyone else. Figured you’d picked that up from his memories.”</p><p>“That’s not exactly how it works,” Luke replied. “It’s more like a series of images, rather than words or phrases. Whatever stands out most in the memory is what is most prevalent, though. For instance, when we first met on the seeing stone, Grogu’s strongest memory of the crèche at the temple was the smell of a sweet bread they made. That’s what stood out most to me.”</p><p>“Huh,” Mando hummed, unable to really respond. </p><p>They reached the hangar. Luke stepped out.</p><p>“You came in an X-Wing. How are we both supposed to fit?”</p><p>“It would be a tight squeeze,” Luke admitted, rubbing the back of his head. For the first time since they met, his composure slipped to something almost human.</p><p>“I could take one of these,” Din gestured to the Tie Fighters surrounding them. “It’s not like anyone will be around to notice they’re missing.”</p><p>“Good idea. I’ll need to fly ahead of you, though, just so nobody back home gets panicky.” Luke turned to the R-unit behind him and pulled out a datastick. “Here’s my coordinates, along with my call signal. I’ll also comm ahead and let them know you’re coming.”</p><p>“Thanks,” Mando said, taking it from him. He looked over to Grogu.</p><p>“Should he...?”</p><p>“It’s his choice.” Luke knelt down to speak to him. “Who do you want to ride with, me or Mando?”</p><p>Grogu looked back and forth between the two of them, before shuffling back over to Din. Din felt a wave of relief rush over him, immediately followed by fear that this was somehow destroying Luke’s earliest stages of training.</p><p>Luke laughed. “I guess he is still your kid.” He turned to Mando, “Also, don’t be so nervous.”</p><p>“How—“</p><p>“There are some things I could teach you, too. We can talk about it later.”</p><p>With that, Luke and his droid headed back towards his X-Wing. </p><p>Mando watched as he got the droid situated and climbed inside himself, before realizing he had his own ship to fly.</p><p>He and Grogu settled into the Tie Fighter. He plugged in the coordinates, turned off the ship’s tracker, and took off after Luke, leaving him to contemplate while flying through hyperspace. </p><p>The whole point had been to take the kid back to his kind and get back to his life. But now, with the Razorcrest gone and his attachment to the kid far greater than he’d planned, that seemed to go out the window. </p><p>The baby cooed behind him. Din turned around and looked at him. He smiled back. </p><p>“Looks like we’re not going our separate ways after all, huh?”</p><p>The flight was mostly uneventful, and they landed on Chandrila without incident. Command tower was wary about allowing a Tie Fighter so close to a New Republic base, but Luke was able to get them in. </p><p>The pair exited the ship, Grogu running over to Luke as soon as Din put him down. Luke picked him up and carried him over towards two people, who seemed to be waiting for them. </p><p>“Hells, Luke, where’d you pick up a Mandalorian?” the man asked, looking Din over. “Is that pure Beskar?”</p><p>“Uh, yes,” Din stammered.</p><p>“Han,” the woman chastised, lightly slapping the man’s arm. </p><p>“I’m General Leia Organa,” she introduced herself to Din, holding out her hand. He shook it.</p><p>“You were from Alderaan,” he commented. </p><p>“Yes,” she replied, voice going soft. </p><p>“I’m sorry.”</p><p>Leia waved it off. “It is what it is. We can only move forward.”</p><p>She turned to the man. “This is my husband, Han Solo.”</p><p>Han nodded and shook Din’s hand. “Sorry about the whole Beskar thing. The smuggler tendencies die hard.”</p><p>“I think I’ve heard of you, too,” Din said. “Much less savory things, though.”</p><p>“I wouldn’t be surprised,” Leia joked, walking over to Luke. “And this must be the little one Luke spoke with.”</p><p>“I won’t lie, it looks a little like a frog,” Han commented. </p><p>“A cute frog,” Leia added. </p><p>“Never said the frog wasn’t cute,” Han replied. “Cute frogs are definitely a thing.”</p><p>Din watched as the two interacted with Grogu, bickering back and forth about what had to be an inside joke. He was a bit taken aback by it all: Luke had practically waltzed in, destroyed a fleet of dark troopers (when a single trooper had nearly killed him), without breaking a sweat. Seeing him here, with a diplomat and a sardonic smuggler, both fawning over his kid, felt... Strange. </p><p>It didn’t get any better as the days went on. He learned that Leia was also training, and was also Luke’s sister. Han was not Force sensitive, but on his off days, he came and hung around Luke’s makeshift campus. He was probably the person Din related to most, honestly, feeling lost and overwhelmed by this newfound family he had accidentally fallen into.</p><p>“I expected more students, honestly,” Din admitted one day, as they watched Leia and Luke help Grogu.</p><p>“There have been older students. Adults who managed to hide or just straight up didn’t know about their Force abilities. They come and go from the Temple as they need to, but since you’ve been here, none have come by,” Han explained. </p><p>“I mean, I guess it’s not like they’re easy to come by,” Din admitted. </p><p>“Yeah, and the few left aren’t always ready to part ways with their children. It’ll become more like a boarding school, where, if they choose to, parents can drop kids off and they can come and visit. Plus holidays. It’s a nice little deal. And obviously, if they want, they can stay on-planet as well...”</p><p>Han trailed off and looked at him appraisingly. </p><p>“You’re not used to it, are you?” Han asked.</p><p>“Used to what?” Din replied. </p><p>“Not moving. Not running.”</p><p>Din just hummed in response. </p><p>“Smugglers and bounty hunters ain’t too different. Always moving, never really safe. It feels weird when you finally sit down. Home doesn’t feel real at first.”</p><p>“I don’t know if this is home.”</p><p>“I said the same thing.”</p><p>He looked back out to Luke and Leia, who were jokingly sparring with their lightsabers, while Grogu cheered them on. </p><p>Leia made less sense than Han, but more sense than Luke. Han came from the same world, albeit the other side. Leia was royalty, a diplomat, on the up-and-up. She was warm and courteous, but Din never really felt comfortable around her. </p><p>“So, uh, are you also Luke’s apprentice?” Din asked awkwardly as Leia helped Luke finish setting up an exercise for Grogu.</p><p>“Kind of. He’s teaching me just as much as we’re learning together, honestly,” Leia explained. She wiped the sweat off her brow. Whatever ideas Din had had of princesses in ivory towers, Leia had completely destroyed them. She was probably the hardest-working person there. </p><p>Part of that was why Leia intimidated him. She wasn’t afraid of getting her hands dirty, of doing the hard work. Combined with a drive for justice and a bit of a temper, Leia Organa was a fire that Din feared being burnt by. </p><p>He watched as she bounced almost effortlessly between Jedi training and her duties to the New Republic. They felt like virtually two different people. Jedi Leia was mostly calm but deadly precise, whereas Leia’s political persona held a lot more spice and viciousness. Both Leias quickly jumped into solving the problems put before her, though. It gave her polar opposites a happy middle ground to meet at. </p><p>Luke, however— Luke was a different beast.</p><p>Every time Din saw Luke, he saw him tearing apart dark troopers with an eerie, effortless grace. He saw him emerging from the fog of smoke and destroyed machinery, a calm expression on his face, despite the carnage. Whenever Grogu begged to be picked up, Din knew what the hands that lifted his kid up were capable of. </p><p>In a way, it was hypocritical. He was a Mandalorian. He was also a killer, and a damn good one at that. He was skilled and trained and, by all accounts, a dangerous man.</p><p>But Luke was skilled, trained, and had the <i>Force.</i></p><p>Maybe that scared him. Maybe it excited him. Din wasn’t sure what the feeling was that ignited in his gut whenever Luke smiled at him from across the room.</p><p>And that was another thing— Luke Skywalker had no right to be as damn warm as he was. </p><p>Not just to him or Grogu. He was kind and gentle with nearly everyone and everything. </p><p>Han frequently came home from missions or the race track covered in bruises and mild wounds. Leia was his wife, and she was also quick to jump in if it was serious, but Luke was always the first person to step up.</p><p>“You don’t gotta baby me,” Han complained as Luke helped him wrap a bandage around his forearm. </p><p>“I wouldn’t have to if you didn’t keep coming home looking like you got dragged by someone’s speeder,” Luke responded, taping the bandage down.</p><p>Din watched from afar, feeling strange. His armor kept him protected from the things that beat up Han, so there was no need for Luke to check in on him.</p><p>But he always did.</p><p>“I know the Beskar helps—“ Luke began.</p><p>“And I’m jealous!” Han interrupted.</p><p>“—But if you need anything, let me know. I know you don’t take the armor off in front of anyone, but I can get you more supplies. If you need them.”</p><p>Din had to work himself up to respond.</p><p>“...I’m okay. But thank you.”</p><p>Luke nodded with a smile and headed back over to Han. He lovingly shoved him as they walked towards Leia, who had just emerged from Luke’s makeshift temple. </p><p>Din watched them. They were a clan, no doubt about it. </p><p>He felt a tug on his cape. </p><p>He looked down to see Grogu standing at his feet. He smiled up at him.</p><p>Din bent over to pick him up. There was no need for the loneliness he felt— He had his own clan, after all.</p><p>Still, he thought about Han’s comment often.</p><p>
  <i>“I don’t know if this is home.”</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“I said the same thing.”</i>
</p><p>Despite his reluctant obsession with Luke, Din and Han got on like a house on fire, and they spent a lot of time together. Han invited him on missions and Din was usually quick to accept. </p><p>“Since Chewie decided to take some time off on Kashyyyk, it’s nice to have someone equally as terrifying,” Han said.</p><p>“I’m still not sure how you picked up a Wookiee.”</p><p>“Long story. Besides, I’m still not sure how Luke picked up a Mandalorian. Not that I’m complaining.”</p><p>“He didn’t pick me up.”</p><p>“Oh, please.” Han rolled his eyes and flipped a switch on the Falcon’s control panel. “I hadn’t even met you yet and I could already tell you were starstruck by him.”</p><p>“He destroyed an entire team of dark troopers.”</p><p>“It is impressive, I can’t deny that. Still, even with all that on, even I can tell that you get weak in the knees when he comes up to you.”</p><p>Din decided not to respond, turning to the dashboard and ignoring Han.</p><p>Their run went smoothly, and they were headed back to Chandrila ahead of schedule. Din almost wished it had gone awry, so it would have given him something other to think about than Luke.</p><p><i>If Han picked up on it... I’m fucked,</i> he thought.</p><p>Din knew about the Jedi, at least, what he’d learned from Mandalorian culture. The Jedi were fierce warriors who separated children from their parents in order to continue to teach them their ways. It broke all the rules of how his people viewed clans, and the idea had disgusted him, up until he was tasked with returning Grogu to his kind. </p><p>Truthfully, it had still disgusted him.</p><p>He also knew that Jedi took vows of celibacy and swore off attachments.</p><p>But Luke had proven that he wasn’t willingly going to separate clans. Perhaps, his thoughts surrounding attachments had changed, too?</p><p>He thought about Ahsoka and what she had told him. About the best of the Jedi falling due to their attachments. Din couldn’t— he wouldn’t— hurt Luke’s or Grogu’s chances by encouraging the attachment.<br/>
So, when they landed, he stayed away.</p><p>The only time he spent with Luke was centered around Grogu. Any invites to get drinks or to spend time with Han and Leia or any of his old rogue squadron buddies were politely declined. Luke never seemed to react badly, responding with the same placid look on his face as when they’d first met, so Din took it as Luke being grateful that he was making this easier on both of them. </p><p>Especially since he was sure Luke had always been aware of the fact that he was... Interested in him. He had just been humoring him until he figured it out on his own. Din appreciated not being embarrassed, at least publicly. </p><p>He still took up missions with Han, though, even after Chewbacca returned from Kashyyyk.</p><p>(“I don’t mean to steal your job,” Din said.</p><p><i>Cub needs as many people as possible to keep him alive. It’s a miracle I’ve managed to do it all these years,</i> Chewie responded. </p><p>“I can hear that!” Han cried indignantly.)</p><p>“You’re being an idiot, you know,” Han said absently, staring out into hyperspace. </p><p>“What?” Din asked, his hand moving from where it had been fiddling with the darksaber’s hilt. He hadn’t ignited it (or really even looked at it) since he’d arrived on Chandrila with Luke. He still hadn’t heard anything from Bo-Katan, but it wasn’t like he was easy to get ahold of at this point.</p><p>“Luke. He thinks you’re mad at him,” Han explained. </p><p>“I’m not,” Din said tersely. </p><p>“I mean, you’ve done literally everything in your power to keep from talking to him. Leia said to just lock you two in a closet together and wait it out, but you’d bust the door down before anything could happen.”</p><p>“Nothing would happen even if I didn’t.”</p><p>“How would you know?” Han sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Look, it ain’t my place to air out other people’s business, but since you’re not gonna have a grown-up conversation with Luke about it: he’s real into you. He told me.”</p><p>“Which is all the more reason for me to stay away.”</p><p>“Kriffing— Why?”</p><p>“Attachments. Jedi aren’t meant to have attachments.”</p><p>Han barked out a laugh at that. “Let me guess: Ahsoka Tano told you that.”</p><p>“Yes. How do you know about her?”</p><p>“Luke and she met not long after the war began winding down. He tracked her down to some backwater planet. Leia and I went with him. She told him a lot of stuff, some of it useful, some of it garbage. To her credit, she told him that what she believed wasn’t gospel and she trusted him to do with the Order what he felt was right, but also felt like it was her job to warn him about the dangers. She had seen the fall of the Jedi and... What caused it, so to speak.</p><p>“Anyways, if the attachments thing were an issue, you wouldn’t be here right now. He would have taken the kid as soon as he got your permission and left. You would have never seen him again.”</p><p>Han stared him down. Despite him being the most familiar (and therefore most comforting) of Luke’s clan, he was still a little terrifying. Din felt like he was looking straight through his armor, no Force abilities necessary.</p><p>“That’s how the old Order did it.”</p><p>“Yeah, and it was kind of fucked up. I’ve had my issues with Mandalorians in the past— No offense, just part of the job— but what you guys have going regarding kids and clans? A thousand times better than the old Jedi.”</p><p>Din looked away from Han and back out over the streaks of starlight through the window. In a way, he felt foolish. In another, he fought the desire to be absolutely overjoyed. </p><p>When he looked back at Han, he was watching him with a smug grin. </p><p>“Shut up,” Din growled, before standing.</p><p>Han’s grin just grew even more shit-eating as he watched him leave. Din, however, didn’t miss Chewbacca’s roar from the other room:</p><p>
  <i>Wipe that look off your face, I had to smack you into believing the princess even wanted to breathe the same air as you!</i>
</p><p>Din thought about what Han said the entire trip home. Eventually, he resolved himself to talk to Luke, even if he was still a little frightened by it.</p><p>Even among his own kind, he’d never really given much attention to romantic entanglements. Not to say there was no experience there, but he certainly wasn’t a master at flirting. He’d always been too lost in his own world to really get good at courting and relationships. Plus, while factions stuck together, Mandalorians were spread out across the galaxy after losing Mandalore. It was often hard to find anyone outside of the clan he considered to be family that got it.</p><p>They landed on Chandrila late at night. Din knew that Luke would have Grogu with him in his quarters, as he always did when Din was away.</p><p>(“He’s got a little bit of, uh... Separation anxiety, I guess. It’s not me necessarily, but he’s not a fan of being alone,” Din had explained to Luke after he asked more about some of Grogu’s quirks.</p><p>“I see,” Luke said, a smile crossing his face. “I’ll make sure to be close by, in case he needs me.”</p><p>“Thank you,” Din sighed, visibly relaxing. </p><p>Luke’s smile took a fond turn. Din knew he’d figured out that it wasn’t Grogu who had the separation anxiety.</p><p>Still, he’d always kept his word.)</p><p>It wasn’t so late that Luke would be asleep, though.</p><p>“I’m gonna go pick up the kid from Luke,” Din said to Han.</p><p>“Okay,” Han replied with a smirk. He jokingly shoved Din’s shoulder. “Go get ‘em, tiger.”</p><p>Din pushed Han back and headed for Luke’s quarters. As he walked away, he heard Han talking into his commlink.</p><p>Once he reached the door to the small cabin where Luke slept, he felt his nerves catching up to him. What if this was all some big misunderstanding? What if Luke’s attachments were strictly platonic? What if—</p><p>Din shook his head. He had taken on some of the most dangerous bounties in the galaxy without breaking a sweat, and now he was panicking over conversation that would, worst-case scenario, end in his relationship with Luke getting a little awkward? It was ridiculous.</p><p>Still, he couldn’t deny there were butterflies in his stomach as his knuckles rapped on the door. </p><p>It took a few seconds for Luke to answer. He was already out of his black Jedi garb, opting instead for light, breezy fatigues. He looked shocked for a few moments before gathering his composure. </p><p>“Hello, Mando,” Luke said. “I knew you were back, but I didn’t expect to see you so soon. Grogu is already asleep, but—”</p><p>“I didn’t come for him,” Din replied, before mentally kicking himself for how confrontational he sounded. “I, uh, I wanted to talk to you.”</p><p>Luke seemed even more surprised at that, but Din suspected he could feel the nerves rolling off him, because he immediately stepped to the side. </p><p>“Come in.”</p><p>Din had been inside of Luke’s quarters several times before. It was comfortable but a little sparse; it gave off the impression that Luke really only spent time there to sleep. It was basically an apartment, with a kitchen, living area, and a small bedroom in the back. Luke walked across the room and settled down on the couch. </p><p>“Is everything okay?” Luke asked, gesturing for Din to join him. Din sat stiffly in the chair across from him.</p><p>“I...” Din began, but quickly realized he had no idea exactly what he was trying to say.</p><p>“How... How has the kid been doing?” Din redirected, clearing his throat. </p><p>“He’s been doing well,” Luke replied, tone mildly suspicious. “Seriously, Din, is everything okay?”</p><p>The words remained caught in Din’s throat. His stomach churned as he worked up the courage to say what he had to. </p><p><i>This is kriffing ridiculous,</i> the rational part of himself thought.</p><p>“Luke, I—“ Din began, but was immediately cut off by a knock at the door. </p><p>“Mando? You in there?” Han called. </p><p>Luke looked at Din before rising and answering the door. </p><p>“He’s here,” he said, standing to the side so Han can see. </p><p>“I hate to interrupt, but I think you’ve got trouble.”</p><p>“What do you mean by trouble?” Din asked, rising to his feet. </p><p>“That Bo-Katan chick. She says she’s done waiting.”</p><p>“How did she even find me?”</p><p>“Who knows. All I know is, she’s pissed and she’s gonna come here if you don’t meet her there.”</p><p>“I want her as far away from my kid as possible,” Din growled. He turned to Luke, his demeanor softening a bit.</p><p>“I promise, we’ll finish this conversation later.”</p><p>Luke nodded. “We will.”</p><p>Before he could react, Luke grabbed him and gently pressed their foreheads together. </p><p>“Be careful,” he mumbled. </p><p>“I will,” Din promised absently. </p><p>Luke pulled away and met Han at the door. </p><p>“You okay?” Han asked as they walked towards the hangar. </p><p>“Ask me that when I can think straight,” Din replied.</p><p>Luke had to know that was the Mando’a equivalent of a kiss. He had to. Did he? Din’s mind was spinning.</p><p>“You want a ride?” Han asked.</p><p>“No, no, I’m good.”</p><p>“I’ll save the ‘I told you so’ for when you get back.”</p><p>“Thanks,” Din said dryly.</p><p>He climbed aboard the X-Wing that the New Republic (but mostly Leia) had been kind enough to loan him. As he did so, Han handed him a set of coordinates.</p><p>“She sent these.”</p><p>“Thanks.” Din plugged them into the computer. </p><p>“Come back in one piece, okay?”</p><p>“I’ll try my best.”</p><p>“Do you want backup? Just in case?” Han asked. </p><p>“I’ve got a friend. You just stay here and take care of Luke and my kid.”</p><p>“I’ll do my best.”</p><p>Din nodded and closed the hatch.</p><p>On his way to Bo-Katan’s location, Din called Cara in for backup. If anyone could drag his ass out of there after having the shit beat out of him, it was her.</p><p>That, and he didn’t want to risk hurting one of Luke’s clan. A part of Din worried that Luke would blame him if they were hurt helping him.</p><p>(A ridiculous part of his brain, the rational part realized, but a part of his brain nonetheless.)</p><p>They arrived at a secluded part of an already secluded Outer Rim planet around the same time. Din crawled out of the cockpit and looked at her. </p><p>“You gonna be okay?” she asked. </p><p>“We’ll see,” Din responded, heading towards the meeting point.</p><p>Bo-Katan was already there, waiting for him. Her eyes were narrowed, her stance tense. Her fingers tightened around a staff in her hands. </p><p>“Beskar?” Din asked, looking at it.</p><p>“Wouldn’t be a fair fight otherwise.” She turned to Cara. “Nice to see you again, Dune.”</p><p>“I can’t say the feeling’s mutual,” she replied. </p><p>“Can we just get this over with?” Din asked. </p><p>“Figured you’d still be dragging your feet. You know, I’m not shocked that you followed that Jedi home. I am shocked that you’d betray your creed like that, though, especially with your extremist beliefs.”</p><p>“Luke’s different.”</p><p>“He’s still a Jedi.”</p><p>“He’s reforming the order.”</p><p>“Oh, so when they reform it makes sense, but when we do it, we’re not true Mandalorians? I see how it is.”</p><p>“Can you shut up and hit me already?”</p><p>“Gladly.”</p><p>Bo-Katan’s staff collided with Din’s masked jaw. He stumbled backwards, fighting to regain his footing before he fell. </p><p>She ran towards him, poised to strike again. Din managed to pull out the darksaber just in time, the metal colliding with the lazer-like energy that flowed from the saber’s hilt. Din managed to push her back, knocking her off her feet through sheer force alone.<br/>
Bo-Katan looked up at him with a half-impressed grin. “And here I thought you were going to make this easy for<br/>
me.”</p><p>“You said it had to be a fair fight,” Din replied. </p><p>She rose back to her feet before rushing over to take another swing at him. Din swiftly blocked the attack.</p><p>It went like that for a few more moments, before Bo-Katan seemed to get frustrated. She angrily swept her heel out between the two of them, managing to catch Din off guard and knocking him back down. </p><p>As Din’s back hit the ground, he opened his mouth, prepared to yield. Before he could speak, Bo-Katan dropped to her knees above him, slamming the staff down onto Din’s visor.</p><p>“The hell are you doing?” he asked, struggling to throw her off of him. “I was about to surrender!”</p><p>“I’m still pissed at you for making me wait,” she growled, staff colliding with Din’s helmet yet again. Din worried that he was hearing it crack, although he couldn’t see any. His head jostled around, though, and he felt blood trickling from where his nose had collided with the front of the helmet. </p><p>“I was taking care of the kid,” Din croaked out, continuing to push on her. The darksaber was just out of reach, a low buzzing sound reminding him that it was still ignited. </p><p>“Oh, so it’s his fault then? Maybe we should bring him into this, let him fight for himself. Apparently he can do it—“</p><p>“You’re talking out of your ass,” Cara chimed in from her safe distance away from them. “Leave the kid out of this.”</p><p>“What, or he’s gonna kill me?” Bo-Katan laughed. </p><p>“I yield! Now get the fuck off of me,” Din growled, hoping to cool her down before he did something he regretted. </p><p>“No,” Bo-Katan said, ramming her staff between two of Din’s shoulder pads, pinning him to the ground. “You don’t yield until I say you yield.”</p><p>“He said he surrendered, it’s not a fair fight if you keep going,” Cara warned. </p><p>“I don’t care if it’s a fair fight anymore. He doesn’t want the damn thing, and accepting it without beating the shit out of him will hurt my pride.”</p><p>“You’re literally admitting this is a pissing contest to you,” Cara pointed out.</p><p>“Did I ask for your input, Marshal?” Bo-Katan spat.</p><p>Before either of them could reply, Bo-Katan pulled back the staff and rammed it between the armor, nearly dislocating Din’s shoulder. He groaned in pain. </p><p>She leaned down, her voice going low. </p><p>“You know, I figured out which base you and your Jedi boyfriend are hiding on. Maybe I should pay them a visit. Don’t worry, I’m not interested in hurting the New Republic, but damn if it wouldn’t be fun to beat the shit out of him with my new ‘saber.”</p><p>“You saw what he did to those dark troopers,” Din choked out. </p><p>“Yeah, but they aren’t sentients. And they didn’t have ‘sabers.</p><p>“Besides, if it’s between losing to me and you getting killed, I think he’d be willing to take the loss. Or do you think he doesn’t care about you enough to give a shit?”</p><p>Something about that struck a chord in him, and before he could stop himself, he had used all his strength to send Bo-Katan flying back. She rolled away from him, colliding with a nearby tree. She went still. </p><p>Cara Dune went over to her while Din managed to pull himself back upright. </p><p>“Is she—“</p><p>“She’s breathing.” She turned back to Din. “We should go.”</p><p>“If I leave, she won’t ever leave me alone. And it’s only going to get worse.”</p><p>“Then leave the ‘saber and go.”</p><p>“And let her rule Mandalore? You really think she can rebuild it after blatantly proving how huge her pride is?”</p><p>“It’s not like you cared.”</p><p>“A lot of innocent people might.”</p><p>Bo-Katan groaned. Din looked over to her. </p><p>She managed to roll over and glare at him.</p><p>“What in Sith hells—“</p><p>“You were defeated. Fair and square.”</p><p>“You yielded—“</p><p>“And you said it was invalid. A third party can confirm that you were knocked out before I was. I never lost consciousness.”</p><p>“I won’t stop coming for you until I get it.”</p><p>“You lost. If you lose in a challenge for the throne, you cannot challenge again.”</p><p>“That’s not a real fucking rule.”</p><p>“Yeah? Well, I’m the Manda’lor now, so what I say, goes.”</p><p>Bo-Katan began to rise to her feet, but both Cara and Din pulled their blasters. She sighed, a half-laugh escaping her lips.</p><p>“Just promise me you’ll actually rebuild Mandalore? Or find someone who will?”</p><p>“I’ll do my best.”</p><p>Bo-Katan climbed to her feet, leaning against the tree. </p><p>“Get the hell out of here. And hope we never cross paths again, or else I’m staging a coup. And you can’t make up bantha shit rules when you’re dead.”</p><p>Din holstered his blaster. Bo-Katan apparently took that as a “fair enough,” as she hobbled off in the direction of the Imperial cruiser. </p><p>“You gonna be okay to fly?” Cara asked, noting that Din’s posture had sagged considerably. </p><p>“Yeah, I’m gonna be fine. I can put it on autopilot and it shouldn’t take too long.”</p><p>“Good luck. And hey?”</p><p>“Yeah?”</p><p>“The stuff Bo-Katan said about the Jedi... Is he actually...?”</p><p>“I’ll tell you when I know myself.”</p><p>Din downed a painkiller he found in the first aid kit and fell into a fitful sleep on his way back. He was awakened by the sound of the Hyperdrive alarm, alerting him to the fact that he would be dropping soon.</p><p>He landed on the strip outside the hangar. Before he could even climb out of the X-Wing, Luke was already there, climbing up the ladder to help open the hatch.</p><p>“How bad is it?” Luke asked. </p><p>“Not too bad. I might have a concussion,” Din admitted. </p><p>“And your shoulder?”</p><p>“How do you know about that?”</p><p>“You’re favoring it. Plus, I might have kept tabs on you.”</p><p>“How?”</p><p>“Remember when we met? About me being able to teach you some stuff? You never let me teach you how to shield. Since I knew what I was looking for, I was able to tell what was going on... More or less.”</p><p>“Remind me to let you give me some lessons,” Din mumbled, slowly lifting himself out of the ship.</p><p>“You still didn’t answer my question, though: How’s your shoulder?”</p><p>“Probably needs to be reset, but otherwise, I think it’s okay.”</p><p>Luke nodded. “Come on, I’ll take you to medical.”</p><p>Din allowed Luke to guide him to the medcenter, Luke never once letting go of his uninjured arm. As the painkiller continued to wear off, Din felt himself leaning on him more and more. </p><p>Finally, the reached the building’s front desk.</p><p>“Can I request a medical droid for him? So no sentient has to remove his helmet?” Luke asked. </p><p>“Certainly,” the clerk said, not even hiding how they eyed up Din’s armor. </p><p>Once Din was settled into a medical bed, the assistant left, promising to send in the droid as soon as possible.</p><p>“I’ll go,” Luke said. “So I won’t see, either.”</p><p>“No, stay,” Din said, grabbing Luke’s arm.</p><p>Luke gave him an unreadable look. </p><p>“...You’ve already seen,” Din explained softly. </p><p><i>And I don’t want to be alone</i> went unsaid. But Luke understood. </p><p>“Want some help getting it off?” Luke asked. </p><p>Din began to reach up for the helmet, but cringed in pain once his shoulder moved. He sighed and nodded. </p><p>Luke leaned over to unlock the helmet’s<br/>
mechanisms, allowing it to easily slide up over his head. Once it was fully removed, Luke studied his face, as if committing it to memory, like he might never see it again.</p><p>Din reached out with his good arm, fingers clutching at the fabric of Luke’s shirt. Without thinking, he pulled him in, their lips colliding. </p><p>When they pulled apart, they said at the same time:</p><p>“In return for earlier—“</p><p>“I’ve wanted to do that since you took that stupid thing off the first time—“</p><p>They laughed with what little strength they both had. Din noticed that some blood had rubbed off on Luke’s face. </p><p>“That’s gross,” Din mumbled. </p><p>Luke reached up to rub it away. “I’ve had worse.”</p><p>Despite his heart fluttering, Din’s headache was worsening. He leaned his head back against the wall.</p><p>“You okay?” Luke asked. </p><p>“Head hurts, but I’ve had worse.”</p><p>Luke smiled at him, even though he couldn’t see it with his eyes closed. </p><p>“You know, I thought you hated me. Or I’d upset you somehow, when you started trying to stay away from me.”</p><p>“I was scared. Ahsoka Tano told me attachments were the downfall of some of the best Jedi.”</p><p>“...She’s not entirely wrong,” Luke admitted, “but healthy attachments, I’ve found, actually make my connection to the Force stronger. I think it depends on the health level of the individual emotionally, really.”</p><p>Din didn’t really respond. Luke linked their fingers together. </p><p>“A little too much for a concussed man to deal with?”</p><p>“Yeah, especially because the room is spinning.”</p><p>“It’s a minor miracle you made it here in one piece,” Luke mumbled. He leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek. </p><p>“I’m glad I did,” Din mumbled softly, eyes opening just enough to see Luke.</p><p>“I am, too.” Luke smiled warmly. </p><p>The medical droid arrived then, forcing Luke to move to the other side of the room so it could work. Din was still not entirely comfortable with droids, but it wasn’t a dealbreaker like it had been nearly... </p><p>Hells, it had been nearly a standard year since the child had entered his life, hadn’t it?</p><p>He laughed to himself. If only he could tell himself then what he knew now: that he had a clan of two (maybe three now? Five, if that included Han and Leia, too?), that he’d shown his face more than once, and that he was <i>happy</i> about it.</p><p>Luke watched him carefully. “You’re not going loopy on me, are you?”</p><p>Din shook his head. “Just thinking.”</p><p>The droid finished up quickly, allowing Luke to take Din back to his quarters. Luke ushered him into his room, helping him strip down from his armor and get cleaned up as best he could. Once at least the blood and the majority of the dried sweat was removed, he climbed into Luke’s bed. </p><p>“Where’s the kid?” Din asked, noting through the haze of Bacta and painkillers that he wasn’t around. </p><p>“Han and Leia have him. He can come see you when you’re feeling better.”</p><p>Din nodded and relaxed back into the pillows. Luke sighed and rubbed a hand down Din’s arm. He could have melted at the touch. </p><p>When was the last time anyone had touched him, bare skin to bare skin? He had to have been a child, maybe even before he was a foundling. His adoptive parents had removed their helmets around him, but he had been older when they had taken him in. They weren’t touchy to begin with, either. </p><p>Now that he’d been offered it, he wanted as much of if as he could take. He wanted to absorb Luke into his skin, feel him even when the armor was back on.</p><p>“You’re loud,” Luke teased, leaning over to gently press their foreheads together. </p><p>“I’m assuming you knew—“</p><p>“I did some research,” Luke confessed, leaning down to give him a lip-to-lip kiss. “Plus, it makes it easier to kiss you in public that way.”</p><p>“That’ll turn some old timers’ heads, a Mandalorian and a Jedi kissing.”</p><p>“<i>The</i> Manda’lor,” Luke said. </p><p>Luke pulled back slightly to look Din in the eyes. </p><p>“You should rest. Do you want me to go?”</p><p>“Not unless you have somewhere to be,” Din replied. </p><p>“I guess I can reschedule,” Luke joked, pressing one final kiss to Din’s forehead before toeing off his shoes and climbing into bed next to him.</p><p>Luke curled up against Din’s good side, carefully wrapping an arm around his waist. He rested his head in the crook of Din’s neck. Din put his hand up to run his fingers through Luke’s hair. </p><p>As he began to fall asleep, a thought passed through his mind that made him laugh out loud.</p><p>“Han really is gonna tell me he told me so.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>me: im going to write a dinluke fanfic<br/>my brain that has been incurably rotted by harrison ford over the past 5 years: okay but it’s also about the dinhan friendship </p><p>this was my first time writing din, and i also have no real knowledge about ahsoka outside of what little i’ve picked up from general fandom osmosis (she’s cooler than anakin and was his padawan, but that’s about it) so apologies if this feels off! same with bo-katan (although just from mando alone, i don’t like her. seems to be a common opinion tho. also i think she originates from one of the prequels series?? but she may just be from mando. i really need to watch clone wars.)</p><p>also honestly im so sick of disney’s desperation to keep luke’s jedi order the same as the old order, even in good sw media (like mando.) the jedi don’t need to avoid attachments, they need a support system and therapy.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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